Page 27 of The Forbidden Alpha

“I love you too. Now get off,” I hissed as I tried and failed to pry his massive arms from my waist and shoulders.

“But if you ever use my government name again, we might have to break up,” he said before releasing me. He headed toward the bathroom. “I’ll make it quick.”

“You’re damn right you will! I might need to shower again,” I whined. He closed the door, but it couldn’t block out the laugh that vibrated from the depths of his chest.

True to his word, Gabe was out in ten minutes, the cinnamon and pine scent of him replacing the cloying perfume, and we stepped back into the hall. We headed down the elevators, the quiet hum a dying breath before the roar of the lobby swallowed us.

When the doors slid open, the atmosphere was vibrant. It was early yet, but the Hall was already teeming with life. We followed the flow of people headed into the Dining area.

“Weird, isn’t it?” Gabe murmured, nodding toward the long, industrial counters.

I nodded in agreement.

Back at Half Moon, we sweated to make sure the meals were done on time. Here, the layout was built for self-sufficiency. There was a sprawling yogurt and granola bar at one end, overflowing with fresh berries; a cereal station with more varieties than a grocery store; and several stations where people used commercial-grade griddles and heavy cast-iron molds to flip their own pancakes and waffles.

Along the back wall, massive stainless steel trays kept the heavy hitters hot—heaps of scrambled eggs, thick-cut bacon, and seasoned potatoes. Everyone helped themselves, Alpha and unranked side-by-side, sharing the responsibility of the meal.

We moved through the line together and weren’t the only ones to notice this setup. An Alpha grumbled about not having a designated space while another didn’t mind. I grabbed a bowl of Greek yogurt and sprinkled granola and fruit, while Gabe piled his plate high with enough meat to feed a small army. We found a small table near the edge of the room, tucked away from the prying eyes of the other visiting packs.

“When was the last time we sat down to eat breakfast together?” Gabe said between bites of bacon, his voice light. “I could get used to this!”

My heart warmed and I wished there was something I could do about our station back home. But that was a dream for a woman who at least had a wolf, not a slave who was only here by the grace and mercy of her Alpha.

“What time should I pick you up for the ceremony?” Gabe’s voice turned casual, his eyes fixed on the mountain of eggs.

The lightness I’d been trying to maintain died in my throat. I looked at him, my chest aching for the loneliness he tried so hard to drown out with women who would never truly see him. “About that… Shane is escorting me tonight.”

The background noise—the clinking of silverware, the low hum of shifting bodies—dropped away. Gabe’s fork clattered against the ceramic plate. He looked up, his brows furrowed, the corner of his lips pulled down.

“Shane?” The name dropped from his lips, a low, dangerous vibration that made me sit straighter. “Ady, tell me you’re joking.”

“I don’t have a choice, Gabe. It’s expected for the opening ritual. It’s… politics. I can’t attend alone and…”

“Mavy,” he finished. He reached across the table to grab my hand. “Fine. But I’m going with you guys. I’ll see if Lilith is down to go, and stay close. I’m not leaving you alone with that bastard.”

“Of course you’re coming with. I need you there,” I whispered, leaning in so the nearest table wouldn’t hear. Or at least, I hoped. “Don’t worry about me. Focus on you. Do you think taking a random woman to the Mating Ritual is a good idea? What if you meet your mate tonight? It’ll be a bloodbath.”

“You’re only proving my point. It’s the Mating Ritual. Isn’t that weird? Mavy’s up to something, Ady. Why would she give you her brother when he could be finding his mate tonight?”

“He was already set on taking me,” I whispered. He blinked, then sighed.

“Fine, but I need an escort as much as you do.”

“Not really,” I countered, pulling my hand back from his. “Men can walk into the Mating Festival alone and look like predators. Women… especially women like me… we need escorts to look like we have backing. It’s a blessing to have Jaxon’s support.” The lie tasted like ash, nearly choking me as I forced it out. “I’m not here to find my mate anyway.”

He paused, his blue eyes scanning the room where visitors were already watching us with curiosity. He cracked his knuckles.

“Then we’ll both be ‘backed’ tonight,” he said, his voice flat and final.

Before I could argue, the air around us shifted, and Gabe’s eyes darted above me, his jaw locking. Over my shoulder, Nikki and Mavy wove through the crowded tables toward us. Nikki was moving with her usual effortless grace, balancing a plate piled with pancakes and bacon. Mavy walked in with a calculated stillness of royalty. She didn’t look at the tables she passed; she dissected them.

Gabe’s entire posture changed. The protectiveness vanished, replaced by a stiff, guarded distance. He didn’t just dislike Mavy; he had the look of a man trying to hide a secret from a bloodhound. The difference in his demeanor towards her when Alpha Jaxon was around and when he wasn’t was night and day.

“Morning, babe,” Nikki said, sliding into the chair next to me and eyeing my yogurt. “You need more than that to make it through the day.”

Mavy remained standing for a heartbeat, her eyes flickering to Gabe’s messy plate, then to his clenched jaw.

“You two look like you’re plotting something,” she said lightly.